What does 'waxing lyrical' mean?

Question

What does 'waxing lyrical' mean?

Answer 1

The phrase originally meant; to suddenly begin speaking or writing in a musical or poetic manner.  Meaning that the speaker/writer, began his rhetoric in one manner, then suddenly changes the tone of his speech.  The waxing part meaning a change or transition from one to the other.

It is more commonly used today to describe someone who talks excitedly about a particular subject.

Answer 2

to wax lyrical is to speak about something enthusiastically and in a gracious way. I first heard the phrase "wax lyrical" from Chariots of the Fire (the movie)... cool phrase.  

Answer 3

Praising something enthusiastically.  

Answer 4

So if someone is waxing lyrical, it means that they are so excited about something that they are becoming practically poetic about it.  

You know ... something like this:  "Oh, she is SO beautiful!  Her eyes are like sparkling blue diamonds, her hair like spun moonlight..."

"Waxing" comes from the phases of the moon.  A "waxing" moon is one that is approaching the full moon, and a "waning" moon is on its way back to "nothing."  So "waxing" is "increasing to a climax."

Answer 5

I am unsure of the origins of this phrase, but it means to praise a person, situation or object with gusto.